Council for Research in the Social Sciences (CRISS)

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Council for Research in the Social Sciences (CRISS)

Published on June 22 2012

The Council for Research in the Social Sciences (CRISS) has been formed to promote research and scholarship in the Faculty of Social Sciences at Brock University. Faculty members apply for research and speakers' grants to CRISS where a committee of colleagues reviews the proposals and awards funds. Ingrid Makus, Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Research Chairs the committee. She says that "it is exciting to see the diversity , quality, and originality of scholarship being undertaken by faculty members in Social Sciences. It is particularly gratifying to be able to support graduate students who are working along side faculty to produce innovative work". David Butz (GEOG) always provides care and thought when reviewing research proposals. David says that CRISS "provides an excellent source of funding for preliminary research, or for innovative scholarly endeavours that aren't easily fundable from other sources". Charles Conteh (POLI) is a young and successful researcher who enjoys participating in the CRISS adjudication process. When asked what he found that he enjoyed about the process of reviewing proposals, he responded, "I see my involvement in the CRISS adjudication process as a great opportunity to experience first-hard the remarkable breadth and depth of research activities being undertaken by my colleagues across the departments in the Faculty of Social Science. My hope is that through CRISS we can find ways to further showcase and promote all those awesome and inspiring research projects, innovative ideas and interesting workshop series going on in the Faculty." Jane Helleiner enjoys having the opportunity to support the vibrant and diverse research culture in the Faculty of Social Sciences. "Research is central to our work as professors but we do not always know as much as we could about the exciting work of our colleagues. Having the chance to learn more about the tremendous range and depth of research projects in the Faculty of Social Sciences is a real pleasure". BUFA members who wish to apply for funds must be members of the Faculty of Social Sciences. Call for proposals are issued three times per year (May 1, October 1, and February 1).